A wave of controversy has erupted over the alleged abduction of scores of Christian worshippers in Kaduna State, after a Kaduna-based journalist and human rights activist, Steven Kefas, insisted that 177 people were kidnapped from churches during Sunday services, directly challenging denials by the state government and security agencies.
Kefas, writing on his verified Facebook account on Tuesday, said he had obtained the names of 177 worshippers abducted from three churches in Kurmin Wali community, Afogo Ward, Kajuru Local Government Area of the state. He accused local authorities and the police of attempting to cover up what he described as a grave security incident.
“I have obtained the names of 177 people kidnapped from three churches during Sunday service by Fulani terrorists in Kurmin Wali, Afogo Ward in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State,” Kefas wrote.
He also criticised the chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Dauda Madaki, accusing him of downplaying the incident and failing to stand with affected residents.
“The very useless chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area should be held accountable for attempting to cover up the suffering of his people and downplaying this serious security incident,” he said.
Kefas further accused the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police of failing in his professional responsibility to transparently address the situation.
“This is not about discrediting the governor or anybody. This is about setting the record straight. Shame!” he added.
Kefas’ claims align with reports by several Christian leaders and lawmakers, but sharply contradict official statements from the Kaduna State Government and the police, who have dismissed the alleged mass abduction as false and misleading.
Multiple, conflicting figures have emerged since Sunday’s reported attack. Steven Kefas and other sources put the number of abducted worshippers at up to 177, while Usman Danlami Stingo, a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly representing the area, said 177 people were initially missing, with 11 later returning, leaving 168 unaccounted for.
Similarly, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend John Hayab, said 172 worshippers were kidnapped from churches in the community, adding that nine later escaped, leaving 163 still in captivity.
The reported attacks allegedly took place on Sunday while church services were ongoing in Kurmin Wali, with gunmen said to have stormed a Catholic church and two Cherubim and Seraphim churches, locked the gates and marched worshippers into the bush.
Police authorities, however, have acknowledged that gunmen attacked the area but said they were still verifying the number of people abducted. A police spokesperson said the remoteness of the community and poor road access made it difficult to obtain reliable information, though security forces had been deployed to track the attackers and rescue any captives.
Despite this, the Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu, later dismissed the reports of mass abduction entirely, describing them as the handiwork of “conflict entrepreneurs” seeking to destabilise the state. He challenged those making the claims to provide the names and identities of the alleged victims.
Similarly, Kajuru Local Government Chairman, Dauda Madaki, said investigations by the council and security agencies showed that no such attack occurred. He said visits to the community, discussions with traditional rulers and youth leaders, and on-the-spot assessments revealed no evidence of a church attack or mass kidnapping.
“I challenge anyone claiming otherwise to provide the identities of those allegedly abducted,” Madaki said, insisting that no names had been presented to authorities.
Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), also said interactions with community members showed that the reported abduction was false, assuring residents that the state government had zero tolerance for criminality.
The conflicting accounts have further heightened tensions, drawing national and international attention. The alleged church attacks have fed into broader debates about religious violence in Nigeria, with some foreign figures framing the crisis as persecution of Christians — a claim repeatedly rejected by the Nigerian government.
Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Federal Government to immediately launch comprehensive rescue operations for the 163 worshippers reportedly still being held. The party described the incident as another indication of Nigeria’s worsening security situation and accused the federal authorities of prioritising image management over citizens’ safety.
“The protection of citizens is the government’s primary constitutional responsibility. Nigerians must be able to worship without fear,” the PDP said, urging swift and decisive action against banditry and kidnapping.
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